Hellcat Squadran: My Dead Memories: Concurrent Short Stories
During the events of Hellcat Squadran: My Dead Memories, many individuals across the Coalition worked to survive. On this article is a collection of Short Stories of individuals that don't appear in My Dead Memories, of individuals prior to their appearance in MDM, or of individuals during stretches of time where they don't appear in MDM. Captured Star Lynn Selby was a famous actress prior to Skulblaka's invasion. She was fiercely pro-Coalition, but, strangely, not long after Skulblaka invaded Earth, she began creating pro-Skulblaka propaganda. Vergil Hamilton, who was trapped on Earth during the invasion, but managed to evade capture, gathered his own squad of individuals who also escaped capture, and worked to, among other acts of sabotage against Skulblaka, hunt down Lynn and exterminate the traitor. Situations became complicated, however, when Vergil discovered the truth about Lynn...and Stiletto Team's mission changes from exterminating her, to rescuing her. I have no Place, No one Relates I'm trapped, I can't go Back, I've made the Choice to Stay I'll keep going, Just stay by my Side Suicide Mission A mysterious shapeshifter had entered Coalition territory prior to Skulblaka's arrival. Gathering a team of outcasts around her, she commenced to performing hit and run strikes on Skulblaka's forces using an advanced but unidentified bomber. In desperation, Leinad Llehctim, leader of Omega Squad, contacted her, with a mission to destroy a station with top-secret tech, that, if Skulblaka's forces obtain, could spell doom for billions of refugees that escaped the initial invasion. Chapter 1: I'm building up my Nerve In subspace, the remnants of the Omega Squad fleet, escorting the Lemuria, which was loaded with refugees, flew through Subspace, only occasionally leaving, usually to get its bearings or to slip past Elachi patrols. This time, however, IceBite's flagship, the OHS Ofnir, left Subspace for another reason: to meet with a mercenary ship, that IceBite called upon for a job. Once he detected the merc's ship, he directed the ship to his ship's hangar, and re-entered Subspace. He then had the merc led to his ship's bridge. The merc appeared to be a young woman, in a sort of organic armor suit. However, IceBite had it on good authority that the merc was a shapeshifter. "So, what's the job?" the "girl" asked. IceBite got started. "Prior to this conflict, my organization was researching technology from a race from subspace, which we believe will give us an edge over our adversaries. This tech essentially allows us to manipulate subspace, even traverse it. However, our main station researching the technology was taken early in the conflict. According to our observations, however, Skulblaka's forces appear to have difficulty traversing Subspace. This means that the loss of that technology to Skulblaka will cause our fleet, and the refugees sheltered by it, to be in jeopardy." At this point, IceBite noticed he struck something in the merc's psyche. "Maybe she has a soft spot for innocents," IceBite thought. He then continued, "We need someone to get to the station, infiltrate it, then destroy it, before Skulblaka's forces can reverse-engineer the Elachi technology. We can pay you quite well for this op, so can I count on you for aid?" The merc waited a few moments, before respond, "Alright, I'll help." "Excellent, I'll have my people transfer the coordinates to your craft...along with something else: we obtained a Subspace Drive from another race, the Solanae, that should allow your craft to traverse Subspace. We'll transport it to your ship, so you can install it on the ship. Good luck..." ---- Once the merc returned, she and her engineer managed to install the Solanae tech, and she finally grouped up with her crew: an AI, a Geth...and a Collector General. "Alright, our mission is to infiltrate a well-fortified research facility, and blow the place up, to prevent Skulblaka from obtaining the tech for himself. From what I hear, this could cripple the asshole's operations to an extent, preventing him from reaching Subspace easily, and we're also getting well-paid for this." "One thing, Celeste," the Geth spoke up. "What is it, Eskator?" Celeste asked. "Just how fortified is "well-fortified"?" Celeste went on to explain, "This IS Omega Squad we're talking about, meaning it'll probably be quite the security package. However, thanks to the tech they gave us that myself and Tulinal," she gestured at the Collector General when she said its name, "installed earlier, we should be able to bypass the outer defenses. Our only issue is the inner defenses...if Skulblaka's minions haven't already thrashed them." Then, the AI spoke up. "Am I the only one who thinks this sounds like a suicide mission?" Celeste was silent for a moment, before answering, "It seems like such to me too, Melia, but we can't just stand idly by: we HAVE to do this, or loads of refugees will be doomed..." Everyone nodded, knowing what was at stake. "Alright then, let's move!" Chapter 2: The Prime Obstruction is facing Me The Retaliator flew through subspace, moving towards the destination, navigating using the Omega Squad outfitted to it. Finally, it reached its destination and opened a rift to real space. As assured, the bomber arrived behind the first several lines of defense, and in front of the station itself. Celeste looked over the station, and prepared to advance. However, Melia, ever vigilant, spoke up. "We appear to have not accounted for one factor: multiple starships, inbound!" Sure enough, sensors picked up multiple patrol craft, ranging from Skulblakan craft to ships piloted by traitorous crew from various factions in the galaxy. "Eskator! Tulinal! To the guns!" Celeste called, and the Geth and Collector General both went to their respective gun turrets, while Celeste took the controls of the craft once more, and they moved to evade and protect themselves from the enemy craft. 2 Skulblakan frigates came in and tried to strike the flank of the Retaliator, but it managed to dodge the attack, but only just managed to avoid a Skulblaka-allied T'varo's disruptor blasts, as the Romulan Light Warbird swooped in. The Retaliator swerved around the debris, coming across a pair of renegade Saber-class Escorts. While the gunners took on the Scorpion fighters that assaulted the bomber, Celeste launched a pair of gravitic torpedoes at one of the Sabers, which twisted under the gravitic distortions, forcing a Warp Core breach, the Retaliator barely dodging the explosion but the second Saber caught in the blast. Soon, the Retaliator, under the cover of the destruction of the Sabers, managed to evade the other patrols, and entered the superstructure of the station. Chapter 3: Wanting to Retreat, but you won't Let me Be The Retaliator flew through the station's superstructure, dodging enemy patrols, while searching for a secure landing spot. Finally, they came across a sheltered facility in the station, seemingly untouched by the Skulblakan invaders. The Retaliator landed, and finally, the team decided to discuss their next move. "Ok," Celeste began, "According to the information we were given, the only way we can easily destroy this station is to destroy the station's main reactor core." "Is there any idea as to how we will pull that off?" Eskator asked. "From the data we received," Melia explained, "The station's reactor utilizes experimental technology using substances known only to the upper echelons of Starfleet, linked to subspace. Destroying the reactor will destabilize the component particles, which will not only destroy the station, but destabilize subspace around the station. This could severely dampen Skulblaka's operations." Celeste then spoke out, "Exactly, which is why I have to get to the reactor and destroy it." "No..." Everyone looked in Tulinal's direction. The Collector General usually never speaks. But when he does...it's something major. "Tulinal, someone HAS to destroy that reactor-" "And you still have reason to remain. You are the only one holding this group together...and I have many sins that I must answer for...All my life, all I did was condemn lives to death or worse...I can now for once make things right: I will destroy the reactor. You try to keep these guys off me while I do so..." There was silence there, due to Tulinal's declaration. After a few minutes of silence, though, Melia spoke up. "I have been recalibrating the sensors, due to the subspace distortions given off by the station...I might be able to lock onto either one of you, and transport you out before the station explodes. And if Tulinal takes the reactors, then the enemy can't be distracted: as powerful as he is, Tulinal would be ill-suited as a diversion, and I require Eskator to keep the ship defended and functioning. Besides, Tulinal's the most skilled with computers out of all of us: he would be most likely to find the self-destruct codes." Celeste thought for a moment: she volunteered because she could not stand sending them into the danger presented by the reactor, especially if there was a chance she could eliminate the reactor quickly. However, she admitted Melia had a point: Tulinal was the best with computers, and she was the most likely to survive performing the diversion. "Very well...I guess there's no changing your mind...alright team...let's stop Skulblaka's forces...here and now..." Chapter 4: And you will Fall! Tulinal and Celeste deployed from the ''Retaliator. Before departing the landing zone, Celeste called to Melia, "Be ready to come in for pickup, in case I give the signal." "I read you, good luck," Melia replied. Then, Celeste and Tulinal moved off in 2 directions, Celeste moving to an area sensors detected had a massive cluster of Skulblakans and their allies. "Ok, just gotta take on the largest cluster of Skulblaka allies I can find, and stir things up...just gotta figure out what I'm gonna do to fight them..." Celeste said to herself. After a few minutes, she finally found it: what appeared to be a cluster of Skulblakans communicating with a group of Romulan, Palked, and Rigellian mercenaries, probably members of the groups Celeste and her comrades engaged outside. "Ok, found them...now what?" Celeste asked herself. ---- Crawling through the maintenance corridors of the station, Tulinal continued searching for his target: the reactor chamber. As he continued deeper into the station, he looked around, and felt it seemed familiar. He soon reached what appeared to be a security checkpoint. Deciding to use it to get his bearings, he activated the security cameras using the codes Celeste received from IceBite. Using them, he located where he was in the facility...as well as Celeste. Celeste was in her Monoblos form, engaging a cluster of Skulblakans and traitors, and quickly shifted to her Nexu form, then her Promethean Knight form. As she continued to fight, Tulinal shut the system down, seeing that Celeste had begun the distraction. Having obtained the map, he made his way towards his target: the reactor. ---- Celeste teleported around the battlefield, taking down an enemy per teleportation. However, more enemies entered the field of battle as time went on. Suddenly, she heard a scream. Returning to her nexu form, she rushed there...to find a group of scientists and guards, utilizing Omega Squad armor and weapons, in a desperate last stand, fighting the Skulblakans. Seeing their superior defensible position, and wasting no time, Celeste transformed into her Carcharodontosaurus form and smashed through the enemy lines, transforming back into her human form, when she reached them. The lead scientist, a young female using a modified (and down-toned) MJOLNIR Armor set and wielding a UNSC Designated Marksman Rifle, pointed her gun at Celeste and demanded, in a shaky, frightened tone, "Who-who are you?" "A friend: Commander IceBite hired me to blow this place sky-high, and evac any survivors that haven't turned to Skulblaka's side." With that, the scientist calmed down. Celeste joined in the defense, using her Assassin Droid form, helping pick off enemies as they approached. "This is DEFINITELY making a big distraction," Celeste thought. However, despite the weapons of the survivors, and their superior position, Celeste knew she would be overrun soon, if- An explosion blasted one of the doors down. Another took out a squad of Skulblakans. "What's going on?!" the scientist asked. "The guy I had set to take down the reactor did his job. Let's get out of here!" Chapter 5: Now scattered, You will Run Immediately, the surrounding parts of the station began to destabilize, parts of it falling, and others just detonating. As she and the survivors fled through the facility, they were forced to dodge both falling debris and Skulblakans that decided to just die trying to kill them. Celeste could feel that the main reactor itself was still intact: this was just a prelude to the total destruction of the station, a result of the station's backup reactors going critical. Barely dodging spikes and bullets from the Skulblakans, Celeste activated her beacon, hoping the Retaliator will reach her before the Skulblakans do. Along with the beacon signal, she sent signal that she was also bringing survivors with her. As more Skulblakans began to chase her, drawn to her beacon, Celeste came upon an open chamber in the facility, and the warbling of a gravitic drive...as the Retaliator rose up out of a pit. One of the hatches opened, Eskator, brandishing his Revenant Assault Rifle and Katana Shotgun, started tearing up the pursuing Skulblakans. The main bulk of the scientists and guards made it into the Retaliator, but Celeste, as well as the lead scientist and one of the guard were cut off when a piece of falling debris destroyed the only path to the ship. However, when the 2 stopped, Celeste made them keep going...before shifting into her Enderman form...then her Mutant Enderman form. Moments later, the trio blinked into the Retaliator. With Eskator, the scientist lead, and the main guard following, and the remaining survivors getting settled in for the ride, Celeste went to the cockpit, where Melia warned her "The reactor'll go critical in 10...9...8..." "I know, keep scanning for Tulinal, EVERYONE HOLD ON!" Celeste shouted, as she kicked the Retaliator's engines to full, manually piloting through the station's superstructure, and getting outside. As the Retaliator fled the station, Celeste asked, "Did you find him?" Melia worriedly responded, "Hold on...I think...maybe..." ---- "And this one...and that one...and more...need to accelerate the chain reaction!" Tulinal was tapping every control he could find, trying to accelerate the destruction of the station, and make it more impossible for the enemy to take it. However, after pressing another control, he was caught in the back by an explosion. Suddenly, a wave of deja vu struck him, as this brought back the memory of when he was released from Harbinger's control. "You have failed...We will find another way. Releasing control..." However, this time, it felt different. This time, he knew he did everything he could...this time, he succeeded. He turned to see the shockwave of the detonating super-particles shooting towards him, and he readied for the end, at peace, no longer caring if he lived or died... ...As a familiar tingling sensation came upon him and familiar purple sparks shown around him... ---- "I got him!" Melia exclaimed triumphantly, as Tulinal was beamed aboard. "Good, then LET'S GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Celeste exclaimed in a mix of urgency and joy, as she kicked the engines of the Retaliator into full overdrive. They then watched as the station exploded behind them, with them barely ahead of the shockwave. Dodging debris while trying to maintain speed, the Retaliator sped to the edge of the debris field, and opened a tear in subspace, entering it, and shooting away from the station, as the whole area was engulfed in a massive explosion. Chapter 6: Bye bye Babylon...Be Gone The trip back to the Omega Squad refugee fleet was uneventful...a good sign that Skulblaka failed to obtain the Elachi technology. As they returned, Celeste gave an initial report of what happened, and they offloaded the survivors when they landed on the Ofnir. After waiting a few hours for the debriefings for the survivors, Celeste was called in. She explained her piece and, satisfied, IceBite assured her that her pay would be waiting for her in her ship's account system. Finally, Celeste returned to her ship, and readied to depart. She checked back in with Tulinal before they lifted off, however. "Thanks for your help back there. You did good Tulinal." Tulinal just gave a low chatter...but the undertones, Celeste realized, sounded...satisfied, as though Tulinal was glad the job he did was good. "No wonder why," Celeste thought to herself, "After his past...he deserves a few lucky breaks and congratulations for a change..." Once she finished with Tulinal, Celeste launched the Retaliator, and departed the Ofnir. ---- Danica watched the merc's bomber depart the Ofnir. She kept thinking about how the merc had helped her and her people leave the station, rather than just blowing them up with it. She also remembered how, during her debriefing, the Commander pointed out part of what he did to get the merc to help was remind her innocent lives were on the line... "A merc with a heart...those just keep seeming to crop up more and more now-a-days..." Danica thought. Suddenly, she heard something behind her. "So...what're your thoughts on the kid?" IceBite asked her. "Well...I really don't know what to say about her...she helped myself and my people...I wouldn't mind her having my back out there..." IceBite waited a few moments, before saying, "After discussing with the others...I felt it best to pause our research into the Elachi until this threat has passed: we can't risk the technology getting out...Meaning...you're pretty much free to do...whatever..." IceBite then left. Danica thought, but it didn't take long for her to make a decision. "You're going with the merc, aren't you?" asked her bodyguard. Danica nodded. "She helped us...I think it's time I help her back..." ---- "Alright Celeste, we're almost ready to open a subspace-Celeste, we got a ship from the refugee coming our way. Nova-class Science Vessel." Celeste looked on her small viewscreen, to see the 165 meter long science ship coming her way. "Hey, merc, this is Danica Lynn...the lead scientist of the group you helped at the research facility. My project's been put on hiatus until all this blows over...I was wondering if I could tag along. I feel useless just sitting here, and I want to help end this thread..." Celeste thought for a moment, looking to the others, and, after getting their opinions, answered to Danica, "Welcome aboard..." ---- A Week Later The group finished resupplying at a resistance mobile supply post, and the Retaliator and Danica's vessel, the OHS Phantom, returned to subspace, as the supply post entered slipspace, to avoid detection. The 2 crews chatted about lives, thoughts, opinions, etc. However, after Celested described an account on a mission she undertook a month earlier on Dantooine, Danica said, "I just remembered something I heard: Earth has been recently abandoned by Skulblaka's forces...I have a feeling there'll be survivors there that'll need our help." "Survivors on Earth? Uhm...you sure? Wouldn't Skulblaka have killed them all off?" "There's always the possibility, and I think we should investigate...and what if there are? What'll they do if they're cut off?" Celeste was conflicted: she didn't want to leave innocent people to die...but she tried to avoid Coalition capital worlds as much as possible: she didn't want to be recognized...Eventually, though, she decided that she had to help. She activated her communicator and said, "Melia, when I get back aboard, chart a course for Earth. Maximum Warp..." I'm Awake, and I'm Alive Fortunately, Holly was able to escape Earth and fortify Regulon IV, the location of her top-secret research facility and the headquarters of Science Division Delta, the Delta-5 Underground Complex. However, Eve and Elijah Alteron weren't able to reach Regulon IV. Able to commandeer a Phalanx-class Science Vessel, Eve and Eli managed to escape Earth, but stumbled upon an alternate version of Cybertron, desolate and abandoned, but with a "space bridge" to an alternate Earth. Finding Energon and deceased Cybertronians, Eve came up with a plan to rise up against Skulblaka's forces, her weapon: an army of resurrected and rescued Cybertronians... Chapter 1: I'm Awake, I'm Alive, Now I know what I Believe Inside Chapter 2: Now it's my Time Chapter 3: I'll do what I want 'cause this is my Life Chapter 4: Right Here, Right Now Chapter 5: Stand my Ground and Never Back Down Chapter 6: I know what I believe Inside, I'm Awake and I'm Alive The Spirit Never Dies Split up and divided by Skulblaka's attack on Dromund Kaas, the Twilight Order managed to barely escape, with Tessarahk's forces ending up on an unusual world, with physics-bending properties (although different ones from Arcturus III). On this world, Tessarahk discovered another conflict at risk: the leader of the planet's main kingdom had her spirit separated from her body, which was being used to revive a demonic creature, with a young engineer being her only companion. Tessarahk is now forced to aid these individuals in recovering the princess's body, before an old adversary of the Coalition turns their attention to this small world... Chapter 1: There was a place - a Little Town Chapter 2: We went too Far - Reaching for that Star Chapter 3: I know what it means to Burn Chapter 4: That's how I began to Learn Chapter 5: And as I lived it all the World became too Small Chapter 6: And my Colors grew Colder Chapter 8: There is no Limit to what can be Done Chapter 9: Leaving the Memories behind Me Category:Stories